PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The first two electric school buses in Portland Public Schools’ fleet were unveiled at McDaniel High School on Wednesday morning.
GreenPower, an electric motor company founded in 2010, built the new electric buses. According to GreenPower’s Vice President of School Bus, Contracts and Grants Michael Perez, PPS is the first school district in Oregon to add the company’s Nano BEAST model to its fleet.
These buses will seat up to 24 students and can drive up to 150 miles on a single charge.
PPS’ two additions are a part of the district’s Climate Crisis Response adopted in March 2022, which aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 — and cut emissions altogether by 2040.
The National School Board Association is honoring PPS with a silver Magna Award for its innovation in solving a district-wide issue.
“Our school system is steadfast in our commitment to ensure we respond to the climate crisis,” PPS Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said. “With the support and collaboration of key partners, we are now taking concrete steps towards making us a more sustainable organization by starting to electrify our school bus fleet.”
Pacific Power donated some money towards the school district’s zero-emissions buses. Other funding came from Portland General Electric’s Electric School Bus Fund, financed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program.
“Transportation electrification plays an essential role in accelerating the clean energy transition,” Elyssia Lawrence, Senior Manager, Product Manager and head of PGE’s Transportation Electrification team, said. “It is going to take all of us working together to achieve a cleaner and more equitable future for all Oregonians.”
Other local school districts, including Beaverton, Gresham-Barlow and Salem-Keizer have also benefitted from the Electric School Bus Fund. Portland public transit system TriMet has added battery-powered buses to its fleet in an attempt to be more environmentally conscious, as well.
PPS says its new buses will go into service as soon as possible, with a third one slated to arrive this summer. According to the school district, the electric buses will not only reduce emissions but also reduce noise levels and allow drivers to better communicate with students.